


It's A Mad Mad World Out There

by orphan_account



Category: DC Animated Universe, DCU (Comics), Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: Arkham Verse, Gotham City - Freeform, Multi, a lot of verses mixed together, gotham (tv series
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-23
Updated: 2015-10-11
Packaged: 2018-04-22 23:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,985
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4854860
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robin wanted to forget Gotham. He did. There were too many ghosts, too many memories, and everything he left he wanted to bury in the dirt. But now, thanks to a mission he can't turn away, he and his Titans are now forced back into the city he desperately tried to leave behind. But Gotham is the place where the mad survive, so does he have to become mad himself to adapt again? //updates on Sundays, ships will vary</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ghost of Boy Wonder's Past

**Foreword**

**It has been stated numerous times that Teen Titans has a different canon than the canon in DC Comics. So, some stuff is going to be tweaked or changed in the canon for this story, since TT is pretty much an AU. Don't worry, some stuff will stay the same. Please don't be shocked if something doesn't appear similar to the comics in this story. I may reference other series' in this story (coughcoughGOTHAMcoughcoughARKHAMcoughcough), so if you get those references, you have my eternal friendship! Thank you so much!**

* * *

It all starts with a simple phone call. That is how the Teen Titans are involved in a mess like this. If it were Robin's choice, he wouldn't have had it. He doesn't want this for his friends who believe he stands on his own, never to be controlled again. But now... now... this is different, and Robin doesn't want to see the other Titans see him in such a state of nervousness. But the moment the voice on the other line speaks...

"Dick?"

Silence.

"Dick, it's Bruce. We need to talk."

He waited before he answered the other end, responding, "Batman. It's... It's been a while."

He's laying in bed, his bare hands getting sweaty. Why is his old caretaker calling him at an hour like this? He hasn't lost contact with Bruce, he's not angry (at least, he hopes he isn't), but he doesn't talk to him on a daily basis. They were lucky if they talked once in four weeks. The clock read 1 AM, and Robin was sitting up in his bed with his cellphone pressed to his cheek. His hair fell in his face from the lack of styling, and there were dark circles under his navy eyes from an already prominent lack of sleep. Why would Bruce call him now?

"What is it? What couldn't wait until the morning?" He finds himself snapping into the phone. _Way to go, Dick. You don't talk to him for a while and the first thing you do is bitch to him as to why he's waking you up._

"Dick, I know it's late, and knowing you, you're probably overworking yourself to the point of passing out." _Don't act like you know everything. You don't know what the hell I do now that you have another Robin to care for; to love; to protect._ "It's important. I need you and the Titans in Gotham by midnight."

"Gotham? Midnight?" He can't believe what he's repeating. Bruce Wayne, actually needing someone else to watch over the city? This is almost rich, and he's trying to keep himself from laughing out of sheer pride and the bitterness resting in his head. "Bruce... What are you-"

"The Justice League needs my help with tracking down Lex Luthor, who's apparently trying to create an army of supervillains. I need you to watch over Gotham until I get back, investigate the Riddler's activity."

"What, you don't have a clown to chase after?"

"Can't chase after a clown if the clown is dead."

His eyes widen. What the hell? But Batman doesn't kill. Batman doesn't go that far in his daring-do's or whatever. He would expect killing from somebody like... like... he can't even think of anyone along those lines. All of the superheroes he's met have gone with a strict 'no killing' policy. "But how-"

"I'll explain when you arrive. I'll see you in 23 hours. ...Be careful, Dick."

And of course, like every other damn time, Bruce abruptly hangs up and Robin is left to try and piece things together himself. So apparently Darkseid is raising an army, the Riddler is now Gotham's biggest threat, and the man that Batman has been chasing after all of this time is dead. He wonders how he'll be able to deal with Gotham, because sure, the Joker was a big problem, but a grieving Harley Quinn... he can't imagine it. He doesn't want to imagine it. The image of the crazy woman standing over his corpse, screaming, "Bye bye, Birdie!" is enough. And she uses guns, which could, as Cyborg says, "Boom. Headshot." him in a second.

And who's going to watch over Jump City if- _right_. Titan's East. But he really doesn't want to talk to Roy Harper and his normal arrogant self. He just doesn't know how he's going to face Bruce again, or let the Titans face Bruce for the first time... He still wonders why Bruce can't leave his Robin in charge now. What's the kid's name? Jason? Was the kid too much to leave by himself to fight crime? So many questions, and he's not even tracking the Riddler down yet. He doesn't want this. He really doesn't. But if he dares show his face and all of this worry that's building up in his chest, all he's going to get is a worried Starfire and a team that just wants him to rest.

He'll never rest. That'd hurt his own pride.

_"Dick, it's Bruce. We need to talk."_

_Sure, thanks Bruce. We talked about a lot. I clearly know everything that's going on. Yup. Wonderful._


	2. A Contributing Act

He wakes up at 5 AM, sluggishly walking through the empty halls of the Tower and out into the unoccupied living room with nothing but stress beating his brain to a pulp. He doesn't even want to touch his cereal, and for Dick Grayson, that's shocking. Dressed in nothing but sweatpants, even lacking his trademark mask, he just stares at the marble countertop until somebody snaps him out of that trance.

Only ten minutes later Raven walks in, her cloak draped over her shoulders.

"I'd never thought I'd see the day where the almighty and powerful Robin looks like he was hit by a bus. ...Aside from that one day your mask was drugged and Slade kept tormenting you in your head."

Her voice is surprisingly gentle, but still holds the same nonchalance as the Raven he knows and loves. She sits down across from him with a frown, tilting her head. "What's wrong? I can feel the uneasiness."

"Sixth sense, huh?" Robin doesn't even glance up. He's still dejectedly staring at the counter like it's the only thing that matters right now.

Raven rolls her eyes. "No, it's almost like it's a smell and it reeks." She then looks down herself, a book in her hands as she holds it to her chest.

Smells bring nostalgia back for Robin. Pancakes with blueberries cooking on the stove after a rough night of sleep. The faint scent of cologne throughout the manor like it was dumped on the carpet six months before. Tea and coffee with sugar and cream, sitting for about 20 minutes when it's cool. Cold water dripping from stalactites. Old pages being flipped in the books that are to be studied for key training.

Robin nearly feels like he's back in the manor again, but Raven's deep indigo hues snap him back to the reality of the Titan's Tower. "...It's just personal crap. Nothing I can't handle." _You say you can handle a lot but really, you're becoming just like him. You always have to be on your own..._

Ugh, he wants that stupid nagging voice out of his head soon. It's bad enough he has to think of Bruce every five minutes and then stress about pulling his titans into the hellhole that is Gotham City. It's a nitty and gritty place, the kind of place where in just one night you can forget the sun exists, and daylight is still on the way. It's like an eternal night, and with daytime, clouds are always lingering over the area. Not like Jump City, where everything can be calm and teeny-bopperish like a cheesy Disney Channel movie. After Gotham, that's really all Robin wants.

"You know, if it's emotional issues, I'd probably be the best to talk about them with..." Raven's voice is calm and understanding. She's an accepting person, probably because she's the different one out of everyone else. The oddball. The black sheep. Most importantly, however, she's had the most emotional trauma out of anybody in this whole building... She would understand anything Robin could throw at her, almost.

But Robin doesn't want to look vulnerable in case a threat shows up. He never feels alone...

He looks back up into those eyes that have seen way too much. "Raven, trust me, it's nothing I can't handle." Robin remembers all of those times when he has said he can work the best on his own. All of those times, he has ended up needing his titans next to him. He almost wonders if that's all a Robin can do; never work by himself, just be a contributing act.

Like a child back in that circus, a contributing act.

The acrobat boy that leapt from his mother and father's arms onto the platform.

A useless nine year-old that helplessly watched his parents fall to their deaths.

And like the same acid that cut through those ropes, Robin feels a burning, sick sensation in his stomach. His whole reasoning for leaving Bruce was to prove that he didn't need him; that he could work on his own just fine without an overprotective bat rushing to his side.

_Someday my Batman will come._

Dick doesn't need that.

"Whenever you say 'nothing I can't handle,' it ends up blowing up in your face. Dick... you need to understand you're not alone." Raven's words are calm and open, an emotion she rarely shows unless a titan is in serious emotional turmoil or distress. That doesn't really make Robin feel better, as it only makes him notice that he's not exactly right in the head. Or, at least, he's slipping into that state...

"Raven," he looks at her with clear blue eyes, electricity sparking him back to life - well, artificial life, "you need to stop worrying about me... There's going to be a day when the Titans aren't together anymore." He can feel a pang in his own heart, but he needs to understand and get used to that fact himself. "I need to start being dependent on myself... I can't keep running to you or Starfire whenever I'm feeling sad. I need to show him."

"Show who?"

Shit.

He's been trying to keep the whole reason he's freaking out inside until the titans are together. But Raven has seen right through his charade. He should have known that he couldn't keep this from her...

He notices the spike in his hair is gone when he runs his fingers through his pitch black locks. When he removes it, they fall in front of his face. "...I... I got a phone call last night. It was from..." Bruce Wayne. Father. Mentor. "Batman." He shifts his weight, only knowing that once his eyes meet Raven's, he's going to freeze up again like a deer in the headlights of a speeding truck. "He needs-" Me. Me. Me. "-us to head to Gotham until he gets back... We're going to be dealing with my old enemies."

Raven's already stood up. She's at the counter, making herself a cup of herbal tea. Robin can tell she's listening, because right after he explains the situation to her, she replies, "Of course... The Penguin. The Joker. The Riddler-"

"Not the Joker..." Robin cuts in, his hand on the counter clenching into a small fist. "Apparently the Joker's dead. Batman says the main threat is The Riddler, but knowing Harley Quinn-"

"She's not going to stay silent for long." The witch then finishes, sipping her cup as steam flows up into the air vents. "Doesn't Batman have... another..." It's clear that she's letting the word hang on her tongue for Robin's feelings. Dick, however, gets the message and looks down with a sigh.

"Yeah, another Robin... Jason Todd..." He looks at his hand, thinking of a green glove covering it with batarang in hand. But he can't share those batarangs anymore, because Batman doesn't need him... at least, he didn't need him until now. "But I don't know why he wants me to take this job for him. I guess he just wants an excuse to see me crying into his arms like a scared little boy..."

Raven purses her lips. "It's because you're the best." She then responds, sitting down once again across from her friend. "There can be a million Robins, but none of them could ever beat the original... You're the best acrobat. You're the best leader. You're the best friend I- ...we could ever ask for." She looks up at him with her indigo eyes, holding that same intense stare. "Dick Grayson. Nobody could ever replace Dick Grayson..."

Robin nods, shifting in his seat once again. He stands up, remembering that he still has yet to dress himself. Heat rises to his cheeks when he realizes anybody could walk in and expect the worst with he and the telepath at this moment. Oh, Starfire... He then says nothing, but he gives Raven a tired smile and walks to his room. He feels the bags under his eyes and needs a few cups of coffee before he can fully function enough to explain the situation to the other titans. Today will be a long day, and the drive? Possibly even longer.


	3. My Old Man

He wakes up in the passenger's seat of the T-Car, wondering about how long it will be until he's free of Meghan Trainor's 'All About That Bass' playing five times an hour on this damn trip. But it's Cyborg's favorite station so he can't change it, no matter how many times Raven tries to compel him to turn the music off. Robin still has no clue why... She clearly has headphones that are blaring Hollywood Undead already.

"I'm so excited!" Beast Boy then exclaims, nearly bouncing up and down in his seat in the middle of Raven and Starfire. "I'm finally going to meet my hero! The Batman! Vengeance! The Night! I bet he's extremely tall in person and- and he has the Batmobile, too?! What are the odds he's gonna let me drive it?!"

"None." Cyborg then replies flatly, making a turn on the highway. "If I'm not letting you drive the T-Car, then what puts the thought in that tiny little brain o' yours that Batman's gonna let you drive the Batmobile?"

Beast Boy crosses his arms with a grumble. Meanwhile, Starfire is the sunshine of the quintet and allows her positivity to try and spread to everyone else. "I am excited as well! I am very eager to see the Bat Man that has trained Robin! He is your K'norfka, correct, Robin?" Her sweet smile is directed at her boyfriend, to which Robin looks back with a smile of his own. He can't act upset with Starfire. There's no way.

"Yeah... I guess you could say that..."

Cyborg senses the tension Robin's hiding from everyone else, and after a quick glance, he looks forward again. "Hey, if you got some trouble with your old man, you don't have to hide it from the rest of us. We all know you left the Bat for a reason."

"And surely it wasn't because of Alfred's cookies!" Beast Boy adds. Robin is tempted to question about how the green shapeshifter even knows that, at first, but then he remembers the first nights of when the titans were formed. He remembers a younger version of himself, crying about how he missed home with Batman and Alfred. How he used to taste the sweet chocolate chip cookies that Alfred Pennyworth had baked, and how he used to sometimes watch movies with Batman after patrol... His thoughts that flicker to memories of patrol, like getting creeped out by the Joker's smile or having Batgirl swing in and save him at the last minute as his ass is getting handed to him.

Barbara... he wonders how she's doing.

"He was my 'old man', sure, but... we just had our differences."

Beast Boy then laughs. "Ha, you make it sound like you guys were a married couple or something!"

Robin says nothing else. He just looks down at his green pants, shifting in his seat in thought. He feels Starfire frown, and she taps him on the shoulder. When he looks back, her emerald eyes are staring straight at him. She then giggles, kissing him on the cheek. The said cheek then heats up, and Robin smiles back. At least there is something good about this trip...

"If the Bat Man is rude to Robin, I will engage in the Ancient Tamarean rituals of torture and-" Starfire is cut off by Beast Boy looking at her and covering her mouth rapidly.

"No, no, no, Star! You don't wanna do that!" His tone is in a hysterical panic, and he shakes his head repeatedly as Starfire looks completely surprised. Ready for him to unhand her, she then zaps him with a beam from her eyes, going back to her business.

Cyborg then chuckles from his place in the driver's seat. "I don't think the Batman would even let you get close like that, Star... He's not like Robin. He's worse." His head then looks at his team leader and friend with a smile. "Right, Rob? Didn't you say he was a real hardass on you with training? But he was technically 'the best,' right?"

_Oh, you don't even know the half of it..._

Robin then looks up and nods with a sigh, unclear as to which question he is alluding to. He masks his frown with a smile, but Raven's right behind him. In the rearview mirror, he sees her with a slight frown as they exchange glances.

"Cyborg, will you please change the station in which the music plays?" Starfire then breaks the silence, looking up at the male in front of her with a frown. "As much as you enjoy the sound of the Meghan Trainor's voice, I do not believe I can stand another one of her songs playing from the radio..."

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Nope."

"Pretty please with the most glorious chocolate and cherry and mustard on top?"

"What the- nope, Star!"

"Turn of this radio right now or I will forcefully throw you out of this vehicle while it is still moving at these rapid speeds." Her tone is completely flat, and, Robin admits, almost scary. Blackfire must have possessed Starfire for that moment.

Cyborg quickly makes haste to change the station, and then Starfire exclaims joyfully, "I have listened to more of the music from our friends in the land of Tokyo! I believe they call it 'J-Pop' in the United States of America?" She then lifts up a disc, a wide grin on her face. "This is an album that holds the voices of whimsical synthesizer androids which have vocals that can be altered by a simple computer. The kind lady at the store of compact discs called them 'Vocaloids!'"

Cyborg almost refuses Starfire's offer, but then he would also like to keep driving his car, so he takes the CD and inserts it into the player. That's how they end up listening to Japanese singers for the next few hours of riding to Robin's home city.

Then when Robin sees the 'Welcome to Gotham' sign, his heart almost sinks. Everyone else in the car is asleep except for him and Cyborg, but with the way the car is programmed, Cyborg could easily fall asleep and they would be fine. Almost just like the Batmobile, in some cases... Robin's motorcycle is being towed by the T-Car, but he doesn't really have the energy to ride it at this point.

"Hey, man, we're almost to the manor!" Cyborg tries to keep optimistic, looking around the skies as they darken with the sunset. The vibrant pinks and oranges are soon turning to grey and black. "Wow... night sure seems to come fast here, huh?"

Robin then nods. "When in Gotham, you have to learn to get used to the shadows and the night... That's when the true Gotham City comes out of its hiding place." He doesn't fully know how cryptic and dark his voice sounds until he meets Cyborg's eye. The half-robot shakes his head and looks forward once again as they drive, and he bites his bottom lip.

"So... you seemed nervous when you told us about what happened. Something wrong?"

Robin is still not over the scene where he had to inform the Titans of their new mission. It was short and sweet, but it actually made the ravenette's heart explode.

_"Titans, I have something important to tell you all."_

_On the circular couch, the four remaining teenage superheroes had gathered round, looking at their leader intently. Robin ran a hand through his spiky hair, a habit he had slowly been starting to frequent more and more these days. A nervous habit._

_"We are going to Gotham to substitute for Batman." And as he expected, the Titans (aside from Raven) suddenly cheered out. In their eyes, they were going to see the world in which their leader grew up in. But Robin sawit as a moment where he may feel small again, like a little boy. He hadn't seen Bruce- no, Batman, in forever, not since the night they had fought._

_"You guys need to pack soon. We need to be there by midnight."_

_Cyborg then sat up. "So we basically need to leave now... well, then, I guess I'm already taken care of?" He sat back in his seat before Starfire asked, "Will our friends in Titans East be taking over for us in Jump City?"_

_Robin nodded. "It's very important that we leave as soon as possible... This is Batman we need to help out."_

_And then like that, it ended._

"You'd be nervous, too, if the last time you saw your father you were glaring at him and telling him you didn't need him to take care of you anymore..." His voice cuts through the air like steel, and Cyborg sighs. His brown eye looks over, and he chews at his own lip.

"Dick... You have to stop thinking that Batman's going to hate you just because you told him you could handle yourself. Dads aren't cruel or evil like a lotta fiction says..."

"Whatever." The Boy Wonder then looks out the window again, the T-Car passing familiar sights. The GCPD office. The Botanical Gardens. ...Arkham Island. "It's just... hard. He's really... the only father I've actually remembered." He has tried to remember his parents, The Flying Graysons, numerous times, but every time, he doesn't see them. He sees Bruce Wayne, maskless, holding a young Dick Grayson in his cape like a blanket. And in that moment where he remembers Slade possibly trying to replace Bruce... It makes Robin sick to his stomach.

That's when, after minutes pass by, Cyborg stops the car. He honks the horn to wake up the other three titans, and Starfire's eyes widen.

"We are... at the residence of the Bat Man."


	4. Revisiting The Nest, Or A Cave, If You Wanted To Be Correct

The doors open to Wayne Manor, and he finds the relieved face of Alfred Pennyworth staring at him. "Master Grayson!" The butler doesn't hesitate to hug the dark-haired boy, and Alfred immediately hugs the old man back. Alfred then stands back, cupping his face to take a look at the teenager before him.

Robin says nothing as Alfred takes off his mask. "You've grown... but you still haven't changed. You're still our Master Grayson..." The butler is almost tearing up at this point, and the other Titans are silent. ...Until Beast Boy.

"Wow, dude! You're Robin's old butler, right?! The one with the awesome food?!" The green shapeshifter is already staring in awe. "Robin has bragged about your cookies on and on! You gotta bake some for us-"

"Mr. Pennyworth doesn't have to do anything for you, Beast Boy. You're lucky we're even allowed to know shit like this." Raven then breaks in, bowing in the presence of the kind butler. Then those green elf ears lower, and Beast Boy finds himself blowing a raspberry at the dark witch.

Robin then sighs, looking at Alfred. He puts his mask back on, the stoic expression never leaving his face. "These are my Titans. They're... going to be staying with us-"

"Master Bruce has already filled me in on everything." Alfred replies, stepping aside to let the teenagers in. "I hope the manor is to all of your comfort. I tried to make it feel like a home rather than a hotel." And it's just like Alfred to do that. Dick Grayson remembers how Alfred was probably the one who valued the superhero duo not for their identities as crimefighters, but as ordinary people who weren't as invincible as they pretended to be. He knows that Alfred is going to make the Titans feel the same way, and soon, the Titans won't want to leave.

Starfire looks around, gleefully. Despite having been asleep only five minutes earlier, she is back to her normal energetic self and hugs the butler with a smile. "Thank you for taking care of our Robin before he had found us, Friend Alfred! You are now my friend because you have been a friend to Robin!"

The butler is nearly crushed, and Robin sighs. "Star, he's... he's old."

"And not as frail as you are convinced he is, Master Grayson." The butler then replies as Starfire lets go, dusting his suit off. "I take it you would like to see Master Bruce before he leaves? He told me that you had a lot of talking to do before he left."

"You'd think he do something productive, like sleeping..." Robin mutters as Alfred opens up the entrance to the Batcave. The elevator stands before the group, to which the butler carefully lets the Titans enter in. Starfire looks around, Cyborg looking up.

"Guess the Batman was expecting us..."

"He always does..." Robin stares at the metal wall with his arms crossed. "He always sees everything coming... You have to be downright crazy to be able to have him not predict your move." Of course, they were expected since Batman told them to come by midnight, but it was only 10 PM.

The elevator door opens and he's only meters away. He's looking at a Robin uniform, right behind a glass case, and for a second, Robin wonders if it's an old one that doesn't fit him anymore. He then wonders why there'd be a uniform behind the glass if there is only one other Robin... unless-

"Dick." His voice is deep and calm as usual, and Bruce looks at the boy with his cowl up. He approaches the Titans, Beast Boy nearly fainting at the sight of the Batman. The Batman. Standing right in front of them as like in the posters and news reports.

"It's... It's...!" Robin silences the shapeshifter before he looks back up.

"Bruce. It's... it's been awhile." He can't meet the eyes sitting in that cowl. Those brown eyes that have seen more than anyone can ever imagine. Batman steps forward and hugs Robin closely, the smaller boy being nearly draped in the dark knight's cape. After a few seconds Robin steps back, looking at Batman in the eyes finally. "...There is a lot we have to talk about."

Batman then nods, motioning for Robin and the Titans to follow him. "I'm Batman." He then tells the five, looking back. "When we're on patrol, you are only allowed to call me Batman. However, with the Justice League, and in these walls you may call me Bruce or Mr. Wayne."

Beast Boy looks around, then at Batman. "So you ARE Bruce Wayne! Billionaire Playboy by night, Batman by- wait, I probably got that wrong I mean-"

Raven sighs, responding, "He's a natural idiot. Feel free to pretend that he doesn't exist."

Robin almost thinks he sees Batman crack a small smile, but then the Titans sit down and everything is serious again. Cyborg looks around. "It's amazing all that you've done with the place... Might be a bit obvious but I have a certain passion for technology." He looks at Batman with a huge grin. "Thank you for-"

"You shouldn't be thanking me, Victor." Batman then replies, opening up a computer screen on the table below them and going through a few files. "I'm bringing teenagers into a dangerous city with dangerous criminals. I was planning on meeting the five of you under less grave circumstances, but I know how much Robin prides himself on his team..."

Robin has his tongue in his cheek. He is partly mad at Bruce because he knows exactly what he is bringing his Titans - just teenagers - into.

"You say you need us to watch over the city... Why, don't you have Jason and Barbara to help you?" He then asks, the bitterness in his voice only slight. Batman then looks up, only to look down again, almost sorrowfully.

"Dick... Jason is... he's..."

_No._

"The Joker got to him when he was trying to find his birth mother and-"

_This can't be happening._

"...he's gone, Dick. Tim Drake is the new Robin... or, well, Red Robin, I should say."

Robin stands up with his hands placed firmly on the table. "Jason's dead?! You let a fifteen year-old die and now you're more than willing to throw even more kids into that life?! None of my Titans have reached the age of eighteen, yet! Not to mention you've already-"

"Jason died a year and a half ago, Richard!" Batman then scolds, standing up to make eye contact with his son. He's breathing heavily, and he takes off his cowl like nobody else is there. Now there is just Bruce Wayne, and now Dick Grayson can see the pain in his eyes. "I... I never told you because I didn't want you to get involved again." He then looks at the cowl in his hands and shakes his head. "Tim has only been here for two months... He's only been Red Robin for two months... I would have never taken him in if he didn't prove himself to be the Robin. I know I failed Jason... I don't need to be reminded of what I've done wrong." He then sits back down, and Robin can't breathe.

Dick clenches his fists and takes off for the upstairs, not needing the further details. He storms into the elevator as it closes, leaving his Titans with the Batman. He can't believe what has gone on. He can't believe there is now a Robin that is six feet under. And Dick has barely known him... He should have communicated with Jason better, gotten to know him. He should have been a brother to him, as Bruce has always said they will always be family... Now he doesn't know what to think anymore. First the Joker is dead, now Jason is, too...

Meanwhile, downstairs, Raven can't think straight. She's listening to what Batman is saying, but she's worried for Robin's sanity, too.

"The Riddler is a complicated adversary. He considers every crime he commits to be an intellectual challenge, and it's his own pride that what normally is so annoying and what brings him to his downfall. He's not someone to mess around with..." Batman is showing the Titans pictures of this Riddler, and Raven finds herself thinking, _Oh, joy. Another Control Freak is here to mess with us. Or is he more of a Mad Mod?_

"Mr. Batman," Beast Boy raises a hand, "c-can I ask a question, pretty please?"

The elder superhero nods, to which the shapeshifter puts his hand down. "Uh, okay, so Robin told us the Joker was, er... kinda dead? Can you tell us how he bit the dust?" He doesn't mean to ask so casually, but it seems like the Batman doesn't mind. Raven almosts wants to slap Beast Boy for being so insensititve.

"The Joker was simply assassinated, surprisingly... Nobody seems to know by who. I could hardly find out myself, other than the assassin slit his throat and left without a trace. Some think this was merely and act of justice, but... the Joker was already infected with a drug called Titan. The assassin could have waited, but judging by his method of killing, the matter seemed personal." Batman paused. "The other crimelords have taken the opportunity to seize control of the Joker's city, but now it seems like the only one actually trying to take action is the Riddler. Everyone else including the Penguin and Harley Quinn have actually stayed silent. I'm not saying that they aren't a threat, however. Both of them are clever and are waiting for the opportunity to strike."

_This just keeps getting better and better._

Raven crosses her arms. "And Robin actually dealt with these idiots before he met us? No wonder why he's so serious about everything..." She huffs.

"They're insane and they're dangerous. You always have to be prepared to die whenever you exit this cave because if you make one wrong move..." Batman hesitates. "...You won't be coming back."

"But we will be! I am of the utmost certainty that we will!" All heads direct to Starfire, who has an optimistic look on her face that would make any Disney Princess be jealous. A grin widens, and her eyes flash green. "We are the Teen Titans, and any villain that tries to take the lives of our friends will be severely punished! We are a family and we will not stand to see any one in that family leave this planet!"

The other three look at Batman and nod.

"So..." Cyborg then cuts in. "...If there is another Robin, then where is he...?"

"He is going to be assisting you, along with Batgirl." Batman then adds. "He is not going to be coming with me for the same reasons Robin probably doesn't want you involved in this mess; I don't want him to get hurt." He then moves to stand up, heading towards the elevator. "Alfred has prepared rooms for the each of you and will guide you to them. It was a pleasure."

"Master Bruce, where are you going?" The butler, remaining silent the whole time, then asks.

Batman hesitates. "...I'm going to talk to Dick."

He then heads up the elevator, and it comes back down only minutes later. Raven feels a sick feeling in her gut, like this little field trip to Gotham is going to change a lot.


	5. Above The Batcave

"And what makes you think I would want to see you after you break that news to me, huh? You think I can just forget about it that a teenager is dead because they got dragged into this... crazy little game of yours?!" Dick Grayson can't believe it, still. He's storming around in his room, biting his bottom lip. "This was the whole reason I even created the Teen Titans! To protect kids from stuff like this!"

Bruce sighs. "Dick... Dick, look at me-"

"What if it had been me?! What if you failed to save me?! Would you never get another Robin? Or would you have actually gotten to me in time?!" He's near tears at this point, ready to cry over the body of a boy he barely even knew.

Bruce takes a deep breath, and then suddenly hugs his son out of nowhere. Dick is now crying into the Bat symbol on the elder's chest. "Dick... Dick, you didn't know. You couldn't have done anything... I know it hurts, because... a father should never have to bury his son." Bruce is forgetting that Dick is only a seventeen year-old boy. He was only sixteen when Jason died.

"...He was fifteen." Dick's lip quivers, and he is grabbing onto Bruce's cape with an iron grip. "I don't want that to happen to anyone else... You can't let it happen to anyone else."

"I won't... That's why you're here in Gotham. You're here to protect the innocent and punish the guilty before people die. Dick... if anyone can save them, it's you and your Titans." The dark-haired man once again squeezes the younger boy, and Dick is looking up at Bruce with big blue eyes.

"I... I can save them."

"Good... I'll see you when I get back... Please stay safe."

That night, he doesn't rest easy. Jason Todd is flashing through his mind. He wonders how he felt when he died. He wonders what woul happen if Bruce could have gotten to him in time. He can't sleep until it's midnight and the Bat is already gone.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Starfire, as always, is the first to awaken, and she is extremely comfortable in the nice bed Mr. Wayne has given her. She hums as she wakes up with the sun, watching it rise from her window. _How joyous! I have awoken to witness the birth of a new day!_

She opens the door to her room, dancing out as always and wondering if any of her dearest friends are awake to share this moment with her. Probably not, presuming the night they had last night was a bit of a rough one. Robin is probably too emotionally drained, Beast Boy and Cyborg like to sleep late, and Raven needs to heal her mind from last night.

A few doors down, another bedroom entrance opens, and out walks Alfred, adjusting his gloves for the day. Starfire, as bubbily as ever, waves her hand with a stretch of her lips. "Good morning, Friend Alfred! I hope you had the most wonderful of slumber and dreams the previous night!"

Alfred is taken aback. None of the residents in Wayne Manor have ever been this... openly optimistic and friendly. He then straightens his jacket, a smile appearing on his features. "Good morning, Miss Starfire. Are you hungry?"

The redheaded girl is about to protest, but then she remembers that she hasn't eaten since breakfast, and her stomach growls like a monster waiting for its prey to come close. She then nods, her green eyes widened and observant of everything that surrounds her.

"Good. Then I'll make blueberry waffles." He moves to head towards the kitchen, but Starfire follows after him with her hands pressed together.

"May I please assist you in the construction of the waffles filled with blueberries?" Her tone is sincere and eager to do more. Alfred hasn't seen anything like it, as Bruce, Tim, and even Dick were zombies whenever they woke up in the mornings like this. Starfire is like a breath of fresh air.

"...Well, I don't like guests doing wor-"

"Please, Friend Alfred!" She's on her knees now, floating in front of him with her hands in a begging style. "I wish to partake in making the breakfast for my friends! Doing so will fill me with such joy!" Her eyes are like a puppy's, widened and ready to cry if the word 'no' is said to them.

The butler cannot resist such a face, and wonders however Dick could when in an argument with her. "...If you are so willing, then of course."

Starfire floats straight up again, clapping her hands together. "Yay! This will be so much fun to see how you, Friend Alfred, make the waffles for my friends! They will be the most perfect and superb waffles anyone has ever laid upon their tongues!" She, the girl with no sense of direction in this house, has already flown to the kitchen, giggling and squealing in utter joy.

When Alfred reaches the kitchen, Starfire has already started to mix the batter together. She's getting out multiple wafflemakers, taking delight in pouring the batter - and she's making a mess. "M-Miss Starfire, here. Let me help." The male then takes her hands to help her pour the mix steadily, and when he lets go, the alien girl then is doing it herself. "Slow and steady..." Alfred then quietly instructs. Starfire nods, filling another wafflemaker and repeating, "Slow and steady..."

The two are startled by the doorbell, and Alfred blinks. He then looks at Starfire, the grin widening on her face as she sets the measuring cup down. "Ah, more friends! I will let them inside!"

She bolts to the door, opening it and letting the chilly morning air of October inside. There's a girl with red hair and glasses, left hand stuffed into the pockets of her mauve hoodie while another is holding onto a white and green bag. Her eyes are blue, and they're surprised at seeing somebody besides Alfred open the door. She then asks, "H-Hi, is... is Alfred Pennyworth here? Maybe Dick Grayson? I'm Barbara... Barbara Gordon."

Starfire is puzzled until the unknown girl reveals her identity, and immediately, she hugs her. "Yes, you are the Batgirl!" She lets go, hands holding onto Barbara's cheerfully. "I am Starfire of Tamaran and the Teen Titans! Would you like to be my friend? I have heard a lot about you from Friend Robin!" Her words go rapidfire, just like her meeting with Terra.

Barbara Gordon blinks, but then she giggles at Starfire's immediate friendly attitude. She shakes her hand, replying, "Nice to meet you, Starfire. Sure, I'd love to be friends." She's answered with another hug, one that nearly crushes her bones. When she is let go, she then lifts up the bag in her arms. "Do you like donuts? I brought Krispy Kreme's."

Starfire's eyes shine like emeralds at the sight of the treat. "Oh, yes! You have brought the nuts of dough covered in a sugar-like substance!" She claps her hands for the umpteenth time this morning, before taking Barbara's hands yet again. "Please, you must come inside! Alfred and I are partaking in making the waffles with blueberries, and Robin will be absolutely overjoyed to see you!" With that, she flies to the kitchen again, dragging poor Barbara with her.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cyborg has no idea how he and Beast Boy end up sharing a room, but he doesn't complain. He just can't sleep because of the fact that Beast Boy _talks in his own sleep_. It is going to take a lot of coffee this morning before he'll be able to function properly.

Around 6 AM, Cyborg's only gotten a good four hours of sleep, and he walks over in the morning, raising one of the extra pillows Beast Boy isn't using. He's still sleeping, and he's still talking. "Ladies, please. I know I'm amazing, I know, now why don't you all just come and-"

Cyborg hits Beast Boy with the pillow about four times, and the green shapeshifter screams. "I'm up, I'M UP!"

The half-robot male puts his hand on his hip, rolling his eye. "Now I see why Raven can barely stand you..." He puts the pillow down, turning away from his best friend. Humming a tune from yesterday, he tries to stretch and see if that'll wake him up a bit before coffee.

Beast Boy's elf ears lower, like a dog's, and the boy then crosses his arms with a yelp of, "Raven likes me! She's able to stand me!"

"Not when you're talking in your sleep about dreams that I don't really need to know about." Cyborg retorts. He then looks at the door, smelling something _delicious_ cooking downstairs, and then grabs Beast Boy's arm and helps him to stand. "Now get dressed; I smell waffles."

They head out the door about five minutes later, and Beast Boy stretches his back as he walks beside the taller teenager. "Wow - you wouldn't believe how comfy those beds are, Cyborg! I slept like a bug in a rug that was wrapped in, like, a really comfy blanket that's probably made of wool or something. Yeah. I slept _good_." He then looks up at Cyborg with his ordinary toothy grin. "How'd you sleep?"

Cyborg could say something sassy or something to scold Beast Boy on his constant sleep talking, but he sighs with a tired smile. "Like a baby." He doesn't have the heart to ruin the fifteen year-old's happy attitude.

The door to their right opens, and a boy with blue eyes and black hair that falls just a little past the nape of his neck walks out. Dark bags are under his eyes, and he looks a lot like-

"Robin! Good morning, buddy!" Beast Boy then exclaims in delight, clutching onto the boy's white t-shirt and nudging him playfully. 'Robin' raises an eyebrow, rubbing his arm once Beast Boy lets go. Beast Boy blinks, frowning. "Robin? What's wrong?" Robin continues to stare in confusion. "Robin? ...Helloooooo? Earth to Dick Grayson."

"Oh, that's your mistake." The boy then finally points out, stretching his arm out. He looks at Cyborg and Beast Boy, tiredly yawning. "You two think I'm _your_ Robin."

It doesn't click until Cyborg processes the sentence for a few seconds. "That's right. Batman said he had another Robin that worked with him..." He looks the other Robin up and down, and even out of uniform, he looks like theirs without hair gel. "Didn't know all Robins looked alike... You're-"

"Tim. ...Drake." The tired ravenette then responds, and yawns. "Or, if you want to be incredibly formal which I really doubt since we're probably the same age, Red Robin."

Cyborg hears a squeak come from Beast Boy, and he watches as the shapeshifter is trying to hold something back _desperately_. The worse thing being that Cyborg actually knows where he is going with this, and he looks at Beast Boy shaking his head. But knowing Beast Boy, this is probably going to come out sooner or later.

_Hoe don't do it._

"...Yum."

_Oh my god._

Cyborg is praying that Mr. Tim Drake doesn't get the reference, and either he does and dismisses it or doesn't and shrugs his shoulders, heading off towards the kitchen without saying anything. They don't even get a chance to say their own names, and Cyborg glares at Beast Boy. "Thanks, dingbat. He probably thinks we're a bunch of crazy weirdos at this point!"

Beast Boy squints and scratches the back of his head. "He's a zombie this early... Just like our Robin. Except our Robin can take a joke."

"And they're not funny, either way."

Cyborg and Beast Boy jump as their own Robin is behind them, well, now the tired and worn out shell of Dick Grayson. "Morning, Rob." Cyborg says casually, trying to forget the encounter with Tim Drake desperately.

Dick grunts in response, muttering something about cereal as he heads in the same direction as their new 'friend.' When the three enter the dining room, they find Starfire passing out waffles while talking to another redheaded girl, Tim Drake sitting at the table, and Alfred pouring glasses of coffee and orange juice.

Cyborg notices the absence of only one Titan this morning. "Hey, Rob, have you seen Rae this morning?" He then asks, looking in Dick's direction.

Dick, now with a bowl of cereal, shrugs, and when Cyborg looks at Beast Boy, the boy does the same. Strange...


	6. What Was Left Behind

Raven doesn't consider herself to be somebody who carelessly snoops around places, but she does consider herself to be a tiny bit curious about her surroundings. But she always remembers that she could possibly be hurt or even killed because of such curiosity, so times such as these are uncommon.

When Raven exits her room, she realizes she is the last one to awaken, and can hear the breakfast chatter from downstairs. She wants a little more solitude to herself, and the room she has been given, as nice as it is, doesn't quite suit her fancy. She needs a bit of a darker atmosphere, at least one where she feels a bit more at home in. She just wants to read her book at this point.

She ventures down the hall, all doors closed... except for one. One door is slightly cracked, and she expects there to be warmth inside of it, but instead it's cold, like it hasn't been touched or tampered with in forever. There's also a melancholic sense of energy she's getting from the room, one that's nearly pulling her. So does she investigate? Of course.

Her hand presses on the door, and she opens it to find it to be like a regular teenager's room. There's clothes scattered on the floor, slightly cluttered, and a TV remote sitting on an unmade bed. There's dust on the one dim lamp, and right by the bed there is a lava lamp that looks like it hasn't been turned on for months. She finds newspaper clippings on the walls, reading, "Robin defeats the Riddler" and "Robin saves schoolbus from bridge accident."

_This must have been Robin's old room..._

She finds herself closing the door behind her, and she sits on the bed with her book. She has no clue as to why Robin wouldn't be using his own room to sleep in for this trip, but then she probably figures it would bring up bad memories. Robin was the one who seemed the least enthusiastic about this task, after all...

It's a calm place, despite the emptiness she feels inside of it. It'd probably be a nice place to read...

She looks at one of the photos beside his bed, seeing a younger Dick and Bruce Wayne smiling and posing for the camera. His hair is a bit more curlier than now, and his face a tiny bit more round. It's what is to be expected from a younger, happier child.

She opens up her book and continues to glance around the room, biting her bottom lip. She may as well get started with what she came in here for.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"And on Tamaran, we have similar methods of fighting similar to the Ancient Romans! I believe you would call them 'Glad fights?'" Starfire has been going on about Tamaranen traditions ever since Tim had asked. She then claps her hands together in delight until Dick then corrects, "Close, Star, but they're called Glad _iator_ fights."

The alien girl then looks over, and she smiles, clapping her hands together once more.

"Have any of you been to Tamaran?" Barbara then asks, curiously. She then stuffs a large piece of waffle into her mouth, her eyes mostly focusing on Dick.

"Oh, yeah!" Cyborg then jumps in. "Well, once... And it was for some stupid marriage thing I don't think Star and Robin like to talk about. But that's mostly because Rob was getting all jealous-"

Dick's eyebrow twitches. "There is a difference between jealousy and having concern for your girlfriend."

"But weren't you guys not together then?" Beast Boy then asks, eyebrow then perking. He only earns another glare from the dark-haired boy in question.

Barbara looks confused, and she swallows her waffle piece. "I didn't know you were dating again, Dick." She then comments. "But then again you pretty much broke off contact with me after you left Bruce so I guess there are a lot of things I don't know about." The redhead then shrugs.

Cyborg and Beast Boy look at eachother, both replying, "Well, you might need some ice... for that BURN!" They then high five eachother, then run over, high-fiving Barbara like she's been a titan all this time when truly, she's actually never have.

"Things are different now, Babs..." Dick then responds, staring at the table intently. He runs another hand through his hair with a sigh chewing his bottom lip. Barbara's smug expression then shifts to a frown. "...Dick, it's all in fun. If I made you upset I'm really, really sorry-"

"Don't worry about it."

He stands up, taking his coffee and heading out of the dining room. Starfire moves to follow after him, but she stops herself and decides not to pressure any further. Barbara decides it'd be best for her to talk to him, because if nobody else does, she's the best candidate out of anyone else in the Batfamily.

"Dick. Dick, stop." She grabs his hand, and the former sidekick stops.

"Barbara-"

"I'm not trying to make things awkward." She then speaks to the boy, forcing him to look into her eyes intently. It's those eyes that have nearly changed everything in the years they spent together right beside Batman.

Dick sighs. "Barbara... as long as we have past, then it's always going to be a little awkward." The harsh truth cuts through them both like a knife, and the young teenage girl looks down. She rubs her arm, biting her bottom lip. "It's okay. I'm not mad that you wanted to see me again. I don't want you to be mad at me, either... It's just a lot. Gotham brings back so many memories, and with you and I..." He presses a hand to her cheek with a smile. "We're family, right?"

Barbara then nods, and she hugs the boy closely. "Family always sticks together, even when it's awkward..." When she lets go, she smiles in return. "But if you ever think about hurting that sweet little bottle of sunshine out there, I will seriously kick you in the dick, Dick." Barbara then takes her leave, jogging back to the kitchen.

Dick presses a hand to his forehead, and when he turns around, he faces Raven only about two yards away. "You sure took your time waking up." He then remarks, having been startled by her sudden appearance.

The half-demon shrugs. "I really didn't want to be greeted with commotion so I took to reading for a bit. What was that all about?"

"...Ex-girlfriend." The hesitation isn't very potent, but it's there. Dick's uneasy. In most media like this, when a boy has a new girlfriend and he confronts his ex, things take a turn for the worse. He doesn't want that. He wants them all to get along and be happy, at least, as happy as you can be in Gotham, of all places.

Raven nods, and from under her cloak, she hands Dick a stick of gum. "Peppermint."

He raises an eyebrow, but nevertheless, he takes the chewing gum and stuffs it into his mouth. Blowing a bubble and popping it, he then asks, "What's that for?"

"You smell like Fruit Loops and it's a bit too sweet for me. Sorry, cereal boy."

The young man's eyebrow twitches again, but he doesn't spit out the gum. He then cracks his knuckles, saying, "Go ahead and read your book, Raven. And just for that, I might fill your room with different boxes of Fruit Loops." He then walks past her, aiming to go take a shower.

Raven smirks, turning back. "For your information, I actually like Count Chocula a bit better. Know your facts."

Dick fakes another smile, and as soon as Raven's gone, he lets it go. Barbara is wonderful, and so is Starfire, and he's happy they're getting along. But that's not his problem; his problem is going to be opening all of the painful wounds Barbara's face reminds him of. All he needs is just a few bad reminders of the past to break him.

\- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Starfire finds Barbara Gordon about two hours later, setting up her own room. She stands on her tiptoes, but then settles, knocking on the side of the open threshold. Barbara looks back, and then she smiles, motioning for the girl to come in.

"So I guess Robin told you about our past?" She then asks, adjusting her glasses.

Starfire shakes her head. "Actually, Robin has told me... nothing." She looks down, holding onto her arm. "I... I understand that you and Robin have had a romantic past. Are... are you angry that I am now his romantic interest?"

The daughter of the commissioner looks up and immediately shakes her head. "No. Not at all, Starfire... You're my friend, right? Nothing's going to change that whether or not you're dating my ex."

Starfire then nodded. "G-Good, because I like you very, very much, Friend Barbara." She then smiles.

"I don't want things to be awkward between us because of a boy." Barbara then finished. "And I hope you know that I threatened Dick that if he hurts you, he'll be walking with a limp for a good few days." She grins, ruffling the alien girl's hair. "God, it's going to be so fun going on patrol with another girl... Most of the time it's just been Batman and Robin. Big dogs..." She rolls her eyes, taking out a suitcase.

"What is patrol like in Gotham?" Starfire then asks, her head tilting.

Barbara looks shocked, but then that looks contorts into one of mischief. "Oh, you're probably going to love it."


	7. War on Nature

Starfire feels a different kind of thrill and adrenaline surging through her veins as she, along with the rest of the Titans + Batgirl and Red Robin, are running/flying along the Gotham City rooftops. Tonight, there has been a few issues with the GCPD office, and the Batcomputer has lost all communication after one stress signal. Robin has mentioned nothing other than there were no explosions, which meant that some cops still had hope.

Starfire feels an unease in her new friend, and she immediately knows that it is because of the fact that Batgirl is the daughter of the police commissioner. She makes it her personal mission to find him for her.

"My father was supposed to be working overtime..." Batgirl says to Starfire as she grapples across from building to building. She bites her bottom lip, almost stumbling until Starfire catches her. Once she's balanced, she continues with, "He doesn't normally shut off his phone like that. I really am worried about him..."

The Tamaranean girl purses her lips, and then looks at Batgirl. "We will find your father, and he will be okay. I promise."

When they find the GCPD office, Starfire is shocked to see that the entire building is tangled within different types of flowers and vines. Plants sprouting out windows with gas, venus flytraps swallowing any officer that comes close. It doesn't look good.

Ahead of the two, Robin grits his teeth. "Poison Ivy..."

"Uhm, Robin?" The redheaded alien then asks, floating next to her boyfriend. "Is this the work of the monstrous plant? Has it been how you say, mutated?" She's completely confused. She only remembers Beast Boy telling her once the horrors of poison ivy and how it can make weird bumps along the skin. That was, of course, after Starfire had gathered random flowers and plants for her boyfriend that Valentine's Day.

The dark-haired leader gets his bo-staff ready, and he opens his mouth to speak, but he is interrupted without thought.

"Poison Ivy used to be known as Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley, but after an incident where her body was mutated to become nearly a plant herself, she's like a villainous version of Mother Nature." Red Robin is quick, perching himself on a nearby gargoyle. ...Just like Robin says Batman used to do.

Robin sighs. "...Yeah, what he said." He clears his throat, and then calls out, "Titans, go!"

Cyborg and Beast Boy jump first, the latter carrying the former as a pterodactyl. Cyborg immediately starts firing one of his arm cannons at the plants, creating holes in their stalks, and then Raven soon gets close and creates blades out of her soul self to cut them short. Batgirl motions for Starfire to follow her, and grapples on top of the GCPD roof. Right now, it's only the two of them.

"I'm about to show you how we get things done, the Bat way." She grins, finding an air vent opening and slinks through silently. Starfire is puzzled as to why they don't use the front door, but she doesn't hesitate to follow the young girl. "It's very important that we stay quiet in these..." Batgirl then whispers, pressing her fingers to her lips as they land on the floor. There's spotted light coming from above, and Batgirl takes Starfire's hand. The area is more open, but they have to crouch down.

"Floor grates." She whispers, and Starfire looks up above. There are police officers, yes, but they seem to be... almost possessed by vines and plants that are running through their limbs like veins. "Wha-" "Ivy's phermones... Mind control." Batgirl mutters a curse, then clicks a button on one of her gloves. Nothing changes, but when she clicks it again, she smirks. "There's ten of them. None armed, condition is calm. You ready to clock some skulls together?" Her tone is friendly and confident.

Starfire wants to clap her hands and nod out of joy, but she keeps her expression serious, nodded with an assured smile.

Batgirl then smirks, and counts on her fingers.

1...

2...

3...

The two suddenly burst out of the floor grates, Starfire immediately getting starbolts at the ready. She flashes two at a duo of enemy cops, and she thinks she has them down, and turns away. Batgirl already has one cop lying on the floor, unconscious, but then she's kicking at another. One swings at her, and she ducks, and Starfire is nearly entranced.

But then something grabs her, and she realizes those same two cops are trying to hurt her once again. Starfire lets out a scream, and she lets herself be taken for just a split second before her arms break free from their grasps. She clutches onto the backs of their shirts, and tosses them behind her, to which they hit the ground with a thud. Then there are two more behind her.

"Watch out!" Batgirl calls, and she is swinging one mind-controlled cop around like a hammer in the Olympics. Starfire has an idea, and she ducks, tripping the two behind her so they are the one caught in the crossfire of Batgirl's swing.

That leaves five more.

"I believe that is what your people refer to as 'the bomb.'" Starfire remarks with a grin, as she stands up, and Batgirl, albeit shorter, cracks her knuckles with a smile of her own. The zombie-like humans before them are out for blood, and Batgirl's eyes motion to the two batarangs in her hands. "Tag-team?"

Starfire nods. "Tag-team." Batgirl then jumps to the ground, throwing her batarangs at their shins to cause obvious pain. She then crouches down, and Starfire jumps on her back and tosses starbolts as she is upside down in the air. Two more down.

While she is up in the air, Batgirl charges forward, taking two more of their heads and clobbering them together to knock them out. Then she pounces on the back of the last one, a struggle as she pulls him down to the floor behind. Starfire lands, and with her strength, punches the last cop in the face.

The two are left breathless, the rush from fighting coarsing through their vines. Batgirl looks around and stands up, also helping Starfire to her feet. "I... I don't see my dad." She frowns and stares at the floor. "Ivy must be- ...she must be keeping him in the basement or... or..." The tears start rushing to her eyes, and then the doors open. The rest of the teenagers walk inside, looking around.

Robin looks around, his staff at the ready. "You two finished them off?" He looks out of breath himself.

Batgirl and Starfire glance at eachother, then at the Boy Wonder. "Robin, I believe that you lacked the speed to come in here. Why did you arrive at the, er... last minute?" The alien girl then asks, eyebrows furrowed.

She only now notices that the rest of the Titans are covered in some kind of staff. Beast Boy, in the shape of a gorilla, quickly shifts back and rubs the back of his neck. "Crazy plant-zombies and flytraps and flowers and gas and..." He takes a deep breath. "It was everywhere."

Raven steps forward, looking at Batgirl intently. "Your father isn't dead." Batgirl begins to smile, but soon Raven cuts her off. "I can't even sense his presence, however... It was like he was never here to begin with." And that puts a damper on everything.

"Like he was never here, or like he never even existed? You gotta be a bit clear about your stuff, Rae." Cyborg crosses his arms at the comment, and Raven looks down with a shake of her head.

"I can't pinpoint it exactly... It's like all of this energy is mixed together and I know his isn't in it but..." She glares at the floor, mentally scolding herself for being such a waste of help. "It's like I can feel him, but I can't. Does that make sense?"

The commissioner's daughter clenches her fist, but then nods as Starfire lays a hand on her back. She then turns to Raven, asking, "Can you sense the Poison Ivy?"

Raven nods. "Downstairs."

Batgirl motions for the others to follow her. "She's probably taken over the whole garage... I can't even remember if there was any proper security in that area. If there was..."

"They're probably her mind-slaves now." Red Robin sighs as Batgirl opens the door leading downstairs to the garage.

The staircase is crumbling, but thankfully able to still be walked on. There's vines covering everything, some blooming with flowers and weeds. It's life, but a messed up version of it. Beast Boy, somehow, finds himself sighing.

"Terra may have liked this..." He muses, remembering the girl that was probably never going to get her memories of the past back. "She always had a thing for nature... We always went on and on about camping before... before..." He bites down on his bottom lip, not wanting to recall that one memory that's too painful to touch upon.

Robin frowns. "We miss her too, Beast Boy..."

"Yeah..." He looks down. They may miss her, sure. She was a lovely person. _But nobody knew her better than I did._

No use bringing that up now; they're about to enter the garage.


End file.
